undefined | Better HN

0 pointsmschuster918y ago0 comments

> More education and empowerment is the answer, not less.

The crux lies in determining the boundary between education and quackery. The resurgence of antivaxxers, homeopathy believers and friends doesn't exactly help the case for deregulation here.

0 comments

4 comments · 2 top-level

staunch8y ago· 1 in thread

Is there any evidence anti-vaccine and homeopathy movements are bigger than they were in the past?

Google Trends suggests homeopathy is up a bit recently, but way down from its pre-internet peak.

https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=homeopat...

mschuster91OP8y ago

> Is there any evidence anti-vaccine and homeopathy movements are bigger than they were in the past?

I'm talking about Germany here as I can't really speak for the US, where from 2011 to 2013 prescriptions rose 3.8% and OTC sales went up 23% (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hom%C3%B6opathie#Bundesrepubli...).

As for antivaxers, Europe as a whole has a huge measles problem which has risen in the last years (http://theconversation.com/whats-behind-the-sudden-rise-in-m...).

averagewall8y ago· 1 in thread

Are you saying proponents of quackery might misread somebody's home ultrasound or give misleading advice on how to read it? That doesn't sound any worse than what could happen with thermometers, stethoscopes, blood pressure meters, athlete wristbands, and inspecting the color of phlegm, poo, urine, skin, etc. Nobody would want to hide those things from people for their own safety.

mschuster91OP8y ago

With most of what you mentioned, the local quacker is not able to say "OMG YOU GOT CANCER, HERE TAKE THIS $1000/pill HOMEOPATHIC CRAP"... with an ultrasound image he is very well able to do so. And people will do it, thanks to human greed - if you need a confirmation google for "miracle mineral supplement" aka chlorine dioxide and the "industry" surrounding this.

This is why we can't have nice things, the potential of abuse is just too high :(

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse